


World Spins Madly On

by nojamhands



Category: The Durrells (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Romance, F/M, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-02-19 02:02:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22170106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nojamhands/pseuds/nojamhands
Summary: Leaving in a hurry means some things may get left behind.
Relationships: Louisa Durrell/Spiros Halikiopoulos
Comments: 48
Kudos: 40





	1. Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> What crazy shenanigans can these two get into with all the possible alternate endings for S4?

  
_The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry.  
_ _—_ Robert Burns

* * *

“I’ll be back in a flash, darling,” Louisa said in a rush, giving her youngest son a quick kiss on the head. “I’ll be back for the ferry. Just stay with Leslie and everything will be alright.”

Gerry looked skeptical.

“Oh, please don’t give me that look, Gerry. You all cannot possibly expect me to leave without my wedding band, surely?”

“I can’t believe you didn’t pack it, Mother,” Margo called from her spot near the dock.

Louisa let out a frustrated sigh. “Yes, I know. It was a dreadful oversight. I can hardly believe myself that, in the midst of all of the chaos our rapid departure caused, I misplaced something. Something I dearly treasure, but something very small nonetheless.”

“It’s alright, Mother,” Leslie placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “The sooner you go the sooner you’ll be back. I’ll look after them, don’t worry.”

Louisa gave her son a grateful look before hurrying off toward their soon-to-be former home.   


* * *

“Where is it?!” Louisa exclaimed in a panic as she tore the villa apart. “Where in the bloody hell is it?!”

She had been searching for the ring much longer than she intended. The fear of never finding it coupled with her fear of missing the ferry quickly united to lead her into near hysterics.

She nearly broke into sobs when she heard a car pulling in to the drive.

“Mrs. Durrells?” Spiros shouted from outdoors.

When he approached the doorway, his voice returned to a normal volume. “Louisa?”

The tenderness in his voice was too much given her current situation. She collapsed onto the couch and put her head in her hands, tears just beginning to well up in her eyes.

“Louisa?” His voice was full of concern. “What has happened? Why are you not at the ferry?”

She sniffled and wiped her eyes. “I forgot my wedding band. I came back to find it.”

Spiros reached into his pocket. “It seems I am always returning this to you.”

Instead of drying her tears, this brought them out in full force. “How...”

Spiros blushed and looked sheepish. “I found it in my taxi. You must have left it on accident after...”

He trailed off, but they both knew what “after” meant.

Louisa was not surprised that, in her love-filled (and lust-filled if she was honest) haze following their beachside tryst, she had not noticed losing her wedding band. Combined with theirhasty departure, it was a wonder she noticed at all.

“Dry your tears, _agapité mou._ Now that you have your ring, we must get you to the ferry.”

“Must we?”

Her words were barely audible. The tears had stopped, but the sadness remained, burrowed deep inside her bones.

Spiros sat down next to her on the couch and took her hand in his. “I would give anything to not take you to the ferry. To keep you here with me for the rest of our days. But I am only a man, and I cannot stop a war.”

Louisa let out a small sob and Spiros brushed her cheek with his hand. “This is not the end. It is just the beginning, _agápi mou_.”

He moved so both hands could cradle her face before kissing her forehead gently, then bringing their lips together.

Louisa’s heart broke a little not knowing when she would feel him again. Weeks? Months? Years?

Never?

She pulled him closer to her and deepened their kiss.

Spiros happily obliged for a moment before pulling away. “We must stop or we never will leave this room, _agapitè mou._ ”

He was right. “Let’s go.”

* * *

They drove faster than usual to make it back to the ferry, so their final moments together went by all too quickly.

Louisa hopped out of the car and before making a run for the dock, turned back to her driver and said, “I love you.”

She didn’t wait to hear his reply.

She knew.

Her already injured heart nearly stopped when she reached her destination.

“No!” she screamed.

She could just make out her children on the ferry, which had already left the dock.

“No!”

She fell to her knees, her vision blurring.

She missed the ferry.

She missed the ferry.

She missed the ferry.

Her children were alone.

All alone.

Headed on a dangerous journey.

Alone.

“Louisa?” She heard Spiros’ worried voice behind her but did not move from her spot.

When he realized what had happened, he dropped to the ground in front of her and hugged her to him

He held her there for quite some time, rocking her slowly and gently until her sobbing subsided, whispering assurances in her ear.

* * *

“What am I going to do?” Louisa asked him when they returned to her villa. “There’s not another ferry.”

“I’ll see what I can do, Mother,” Larry reassured her, having been picked up by Spiros on their journey home. “In the meantime, why don’t you go to the shop tomorrow and telephone the relatives? They can look after everyone. And, much as it pains me to say, Leslie and Margo are fit to watch over Gerry as needed, and he’s old enough to be mostly independent.”

Louisa nodded and sipped on the tea her eldest son had made. Of course she’d had her doubts about him staying in Corfu, but now she was eternally grateful for his steadying presence

“What if there’s not a ferry for weeks? Or longer? Or ever? How will I stay safe?”

Spiros cleared his throat and looked at both Durrells seriously. “I will make you my wife.”


	2. Breakable Heaven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear readers!  
> This update is a short one, but I wanted to post it so y’all knew I didn’t forget about this! I’m just in the midst of a busy season, so I hope things settle down soon so I can get back on this :)

_I screamed for whatever it's worth_   
_I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?_

\- Taylor Swift, _Cruel Summer_

* * *

Louisa didn’t remember starting to laugh, but realized she was when she saw the puzzled expressions on the faces of the men before her.

“I’m sorry,” she said, trying to regain some semblance of composure. “It’s just...forgive me, but I’m sure I misheard you. It sounded like you said, ‘I will make you my wife’ which cannot possibly be true. I mean can you imag—“

“I did,” Spiros interrupted. “I will make you my wife.”

Louisa’s mouth snapped shut; she suddenly felt very light headed.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Bloody hell, Mother,” Larry groaned. “He’s said it twice already. Do you think a third utterance is going to chance the outcome?”

Louisa looked at him, aghast. “Mind your tone, Lawrence. I am still your mother, after all.”

Larry raises both his hands in surrender; he knew she meant business when she called him Lawrence.

“Yes, Larrys, you must show respect to your mother.”

Louisa whirled on him. “And you! What are you thinking? Saying you’ll make me your wife? As if that’s at all possible or helpful! I mean, really. I thought I was in the company of two intelligent gentlemen, but it seems I was extremely misguided in that notion.”

She wheeled around and stormed away, wondering if Larry and Spiros could see steam coming out of her ears.

* * *

Once she had some time alone down on their steps by the sea, Louisa began to fully process the situation before her.

Three of her children were on a train back to what was once their home — she didn’t know if she could ever think of anywhere but Corfu as home now.

She was not with them, would not be with them until god knew when.

Spiros had declared he would make her his wife.

His wife

His _wife_.

After everything they had just been through, he had thrown that solution out so casually, as if it was the easiest and most logical thing in the world.

What was he thinking?

“What are you thinking?”

Louisa turned to face the voice behind her.

“You think I am ridiculous, no?”

She chuckled and made room for him on the step next to her. When she felt his arm rub against hers, she suddenly felt a twinge of discomfort and scooted over just a fraction of an inch more.

Spiros either didn’t notice or didn’t wish to acknowledge it. He cleared his throat. “I know you are thinking it is all a little crazy.”

She scoffed. “Just a little?”

He gave her one of his charming smirks. “Yes, a lot crazy. But it is the simplest and quickest solution.”

Simple? Quick? These words sparked the tiniest flare of anger in her. “Truly? After everything that’s happened this past year, me becoming your wife is suddenly simple and something that can happen quickly? When just a month ago you were returning to an actual marriage? And I was up there,” she gesticulated wildly toward the house, “a weeping, pitiful mess because the first thing I allowed myself to want in a decade was taken from me? The only thing I wanted since we arrived in Greece was gone, but only just down the road. Still within my sight, but completely out of my grasp. Now you have the...the...impudence to suggest I become your wife so calmly and casually? _Erre es korakas_!”

Maybe not such a tiny flare of anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erre es korakas - according to the interwebz, this is Greek slang literally meaning “go to the crows” aka “go to hell.”


	3. Surely to the Sea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A much longer chapter :)

_Like a river flows, surely to the sea_  
 _Darling, so it goes, some things are meant to be.  
— _Hugo Peretti, _Can’t Help Falling in Love_

* * *

  
Spiros knew Louisa well enough to understand she needed some space after a row with him. He, on the other hand, currently wanted as little space as possible. Of course she was cross; he could see how his offer could be upsetting to her after all the events of the last few months. But, as worried as he was for her missing the ferry, he was secretly thrilled. After they finally, finally thought their chance had come, all they’d had was a few stolen moments and rushed goodbyes.

Or so they thought.

Now they had...time. How much of it, he did not know. But assuredly more than just a few days. Time to treasure one another. Time to savor each other. Time not to rush.

Despite his delight, there was still something nagging at him.

Perhaps the excitement and tragedy of it all was the impetus, a voice in his head chided. Without an impending departure and speaking the unspoken, would things have changed?

“ _Skasmós_!” Spiros muttered aloud, chastising his subconscious.

He did his best to push the nagging away, but the smallest inch Louisa had moved away from him when their arms brushed lingered in his mind. What was she feeling?

Spiros stood and looked toward the villa, wondering when or if he should approach the house again today.

But where else could he go? Back to the beach with his car? Would Dmitra allow him to sleep in his former home? Could Theo be of assistance?

He was mulling over his options when Larry met him halfway up the stairs.

Spiros grimaced when he saw the wry smirk on Larry’s face.

“Marriage? Are you bloody joking, man?”

Spiros could feel his cheeks flame in embarrassment. “It was...what do you say? A ‘gut-reaction.’ The thought came into my head as the logical solution, and I suggested it before I could realize.”

Larry shook his head, still smirking. “Well of course it’s the best and simplest solution, but good god, Spiros. You could’ve at least had some romance in your eyes.”

Spiros scoffed and cracked a smile. “‘Romance in my eyes?’ You have been doing too much of your writing, Larrys.”

“I just mean you could’ve made it seem less logical and obligatory and more like the grand and opportunistic solution it is.”

Spiros looked at the ground and shuffled his feet nervously.

Larry continued, “If the chance to marry Mother hadcome up naturally in the last few years — yes, years,” he emphasized, catching Spiros’ shocked expression, “would you have taken it?”

“Yes,” Spiros answered automatically. “With no doubts.”

Larry’s smirk transformed into a knowing smile. “Well alright then. Convince her.”

“I do not know...” Spiros hesitated. Could he confess these things to Louisa’s son? He pushed forward, “I do not know if this is what she is wanting. Maybe she acts this way because she feels differently after...” He can not complete the sentence; his years of attempting modesty in his feelings for Louisa in front of her children taking hold.

Larry sighed and rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes. After your spontaneous beach tryst. No need to talk around it. As uncomfortable as it makes you telling me about it, it makes me nearly as uncomfortable to hear about it. But it’s natural and healthy, Spiros. Honestly, sex is—“

Spiros held up a hand. “Alright. No need to continue.”

Larry shrugged. “Okay. But the point is, you’ll never know until you ask. Go to the market and bring her a surprise; something only you could get her. Then talk to her. She needs you more than ever.”

Spiros stepped up next to Larry, giving him a grateful pat on the shoulder as they made their way back up the stairs.

* * *

Spiros did not go to the market. He drove across the island to the house of his mother’s cousin, who was only 10 years older than Spiros; he had always been more of a cousin to Spiros than his mother.

He greeted Kostas with a hug and explained his mission. Kostas gave him another enthusiastic hug and led him inside.

A short time later, Spiros pulled back up to the Durrell villa, honking his horn in greeting. He was surprised when Louisa walked out of the kitchen to meet him.

He approached her cautiously and she gave him a shy smile.

“I’m dreadfully sorry, Spiros,” she said. “It was a total overreaction and I am so sorry I spoke to you that way. It has been...well, quite a long day.” She looked over toward the sea, shading her eyes from the coming sunset.

“Will you take a ride with me?” Spiros asked, extending his hand toward her.

Louisa blushed slightly. “To heaven?”

Spiros grinned at her and took her hand in his. “Come, _agápe mou_.”

They drove in silence until Spiros parked near their spot. Louisa followed him out of the car to the space they had always sat together.

The couple gazed out at the sea for a few minutes before Spiros spoke. “You were right to be upset, so you do not need any apology.”

Louisa started to interrupt but he stopped her. “No, _agápe mou_ , it is true. But allow me to explain my intention.”

He paused for a moment and turned to face her. “I know I did not say things correctly before, so I want to say it now. I do not know if you staying after all the things that have happened....I do not know if it changes things. I do not know if what we did...making love on the beach...if it was just because we had to say goodbye. I can feel that things are different between us because of it, so I can see why perhaps you might be upset at my proposal.”

He waited a beat to gauge her reaction. She had been alternating between glancing at him, her lap, and the sunset. She remained silent, so he continued, “I know the last few months have been difficult for us both. I know I hurt you deeply, and you will never know the depths of my sorrow at having done so. When we finally had some happiness in sight, it was like it came right out from under us. So I can also see why you might be upset by my proposal for that reason.”

He could tell she was fighting back tears. He needed to get to the point, but she needed to hear his explanation.

“But for me, _agápe mou_ , my dear Louisa,” he took his hands in hers and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “It was not a casual suggestion. It only came so easy because making you my wife seems the most natural thing in the world. Because I love you. Before we came together on the beach. After. And still. Forever, Louisa. But if your feelings are not the same, I understand. I do not hold it against you; how could I? But I will still make you my wife to keep you safe. I will do whatever you wish once you return to England, but until you are returned home safely, I promise to protect you here.”

Spiros moved to the ground to get on one knee. “I know you were married before and he was lost to you. I know you do not need any jewels or ceremonies. But I want to honor you as you deserve.”

Louisa gasped as Spiros retrieved a delicate ring from his pocket, the gemstone sparkling in the fading sunlight, changing from blue-green to yellow to red.

“Alexandrite,” Spiros explained. “It has a very rich history in Greek tradition. It is said to bring luck, good fortune and love. It encourages romance and brings joy into the lives of people with too much self-discipline.” He winked at her with the last sentence. “It also belonged to my mother and her mother before her. It came into my family directly from the mines where it was discovered. It is a precious heirloom to my family, and now I want it to be yours.”

He took a deep breath before finishing. “You are too kind to tease my feelings. If what you feel is not what it was, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever, and we shall be husband and wife in name only.”

Louisa barely moved, but shook her head. “No.”

As the heartbreak began to spread across Spiros’ face, Louisa chuckled and clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, Christ. No, I mean, _no_. My feelings are not unchanged.”

She knelt down next to him and placed her hands on his cheeks. “I love you. For longer than I can place.”

Spiros let out a sigh of relief and smiled. “Then will you be my wife, Louisa Durrell? Marry me for safety and for love?”

“Yes, I will,” she replied, making sure to be completely clear.

He slid the small ring onto her finger. She gazed at it in amazement. “It’s so lovely. Understated but so beautiful.”

“Like you, _agápe mou_ ,” Spiros whispered in her ear.

Louisa shivered with pleasure.

“Shall we return to the villa?” Spiros asked, standing and offering her his hand. “As much as I would like to ravish you right at this moment, I think risking a second public tryst may be pushing our luck, especially with the police these days.”

Louisa giggled. “Yes, I would rather not get further on their bad side. English and publicly indecent? They’ll personally escort me out of the country. And...” she paused, giving him a coy grin, “I don’t believe you’ve seen the inside of my bedroom? The view is lovely in the evening.”

Spiros swept her into his arms and carried her to the car. “It is not crossing the threshold, but it works, no?” He laughed as he deposited her into the passenger’s seat. “Do you mind if I, ah, drive a little recklessly?”

She grinned wildly at him. “To heaven, and quickly, good sir.”

Louisa pulled him toward her for an eager kiss before he sped away toward her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos if you spot the P&P ref :)


	4. Through the Ash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first foray into anything remotely smutty in nature, and it's not even truly smutty. Regardless, I hope you enjoy :)

_Help me to carry the fire  
To keep it alight together_

_-_ Editors, _No Sound But the Wind_

* * *

_Bliss._

The first thought that enters Louisa’s head as she feels herself waking. Instead of opening her eyes, she lies there, feeling the warmth of the sun just beginning to stream through her window as she revels in the events of the previous night.

Just the thought of the way Spiros had touched her sent a shiver down Louisa’s spine; she did her best to stifle it for fear of waking the man beside her.

The journey back to the villa and as they approached the stairs to her room had been so fraught with tension and desire, yet the two of them could barely look at one another, sneaking glances as the rode along, turning away when they were caught with cheeks flaming. She had tried and failed to suppress the girlish giggles that had flowed from her. She caught a glimpse of Spiros, grinning wildly, and felt her cheeks grow hotter and a spark of desire shoot through her like an electric current.

When they arrived, he had rushed to her side to open her door, always the gentlemen. But despite their hurry to get upstairs, they both took their time walking up to the villa. As they approached the doorway, Spiros reached for Louisa’s hand, intertwining their fingers. Louisa fought tooth and nail to stop a massive smile from taking over her face, though she wasn’t sure why.

Why shouldn’t she beam and moon over the man before her? The object of all her dreams and desires all these years, against all her best efforts to deny and suppress her feelings? Why couldn’t she let her walls down completely? He was still the most stabilizing presence in her life, as he always had been; he’d done everything he could to keep her happy and safe. He had just declared his love for her and the deepest desires of his heart, so why could she not do the same?

“I’m afraid,” she uttered, barely above a whisper.

Spiros took both her hands in his, moving so his face was inches from hers. She was painfully reminded of the day he came to tell her Dimitra had returned, the way their hands and voices shook with sorrow and the dissipation of their dream of what could have been.

But this was different.

“I know, _agapi mou,”_ he whispered back. “But _polyagapiméni mou,_ you must know… _eísai i kardiá mou. Pánta kai gia pánta._ My dearest, you are my heart. Always and forever.”

“ _Adelfí psychí,_ ” Louisa replied, looking into his eyes for affirmation.

He nodded, bringing her hands to his lips. “ _Adelfí psychí_.” He kissed her knuckles delicately. “My soulmate.”

They stood there for a moment longer before Louisa turned to lead him into the house, walking to the base of the stairs before coming to a halt.

They knew once they crossed this line, there would be no going back. Their previous intimacies had been the result of long awaited ardor and completed in a rush to really say goodbye. They could have brushed those moments aside and written them off as simply inevitable given the circumstances they had been presented. It would be easy enough to deny that anything more had ever happened between them prior to the Durrell’s departure; nobody would have known.

But if they took one step up the stairs, it would not be a moment that could be erased, brushed aside, or dismissed as nothing. It was everything, and they both knew it.

Louisa thought she might burst from the waiting when Spiros leaned in and kissed her cheek.

“ _Fotiá kai lagneía_ ,” he breathed into her ear. He gave her earlobe a little nibble before pulling back, their faces only inches apart. Louisa let out a shaky breath, then moved to take the first step.

She made it about five steps up before Spiros whirled her around and pressed her against the wall. She gasped just as much from shock as from delight. He pressed himself against her, pinning her between the hard muscle of his body and the sturdy wall behind her.

Louisa let out a soft moan, desire coursing through her veins. This seemed to push Spiros into action. He kissed her just below her ear and made his way down her throat. When he reached her collar bone, his face returned to eye level before he kissed her hungrily.

Louisa remembered their first kiss on the beach. She had felt like she was drowning, in desire and in her sorrow, and wanted the waves of them to overwhelm and take her. This time, it felt more like coming up for air; like Spiros was oxygen and she was breathing properly for the first time. On the beach, it felt like the end of something, and now it felt like the beginning.

They only pulled away when their need for actual oxygen required them to pull apart. They finally continued making their way upstairs, pausing every few steps to savor one another just a little more.

When they finally reached her bedroom, Spiros lifted her into his arms as he had done earlier that day and walked into the room. Louisa was prepared to be placed on the ground, but he turned to shut the door. He shifted her in his arms with ease, and before she realized what was happening, he used her body to slam the door shut, claiming her mouth as he did so.

Instinctually, Louisa wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. Spiros groaned into her mouth, kissing her fervently.

They stayed there, wrapped in each other, until Louisa stopped and placed her forehead on his.

“Please,” she breathed desperately.

Spiros spun on his heel, his grip on her still firm, and brought her to the bed, returning his lips to hers as quickly as he could.

Louisa had no idea how he managed to move so gracefully and with such ease; she barely felt him lean down and gently guide her onto the bed. Lying beneath him, she felt another current of desire pulse through her. Spiros grinned and began his evening worship at his altar of Louisa.

The feel of him everywhere was almost too much. She nearly wept when his face was between her thighs and he uttered, “This view _is_ something. You were right, _agapi mou_.”

They both felt like they were on fire, burning from the inside out; every move and every touch sparking and igniting more within them. Their flames burned and burned until it consumed them, turning them both to ash as they collapsed, fully sated, still tangled together.

They stayed that way as long as they could, until they came apart only to snuggle together as sleep overtook them.

Sighing at the memory, Louisa knew she’d only had a few hours sleep based on the way the sun streaked through the window. If it were not for the sleeping form beside her, she might have believed it had all been a dream.

But he was there, beneath her sheets, as he had been beneath her just hours before. She brushed aside some of his hair, noticing a few grey streaks, and placed a soft kiss on his temple before snuggling herself against him once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fotiá kai lagneía means "fire and lust" in Greek :)


	5. Feel Like Flying

_If you love me don’t let go. Hold on to me._

\- X Ambassadors, _Unsteady_

* * *

Louisa hadn’t realized she dozed off until she unconsciously reached for the man beside her, only to come up empty. Her eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright. 

Had she imagined it all? Was it just a wonderful dream?

No. It couldn’t be.

Could it?

The anxiety was just reaching the pit of her stomach when her door creaked open.

“ _Kaliméra, agapité mou_.” Spiros gave her a lopsided grin as he entered the room, a tray with food in hand.

He elbowed the door shut and came to sit next to her on the bed.

“Breakfast in bed? Is it suitable?”

Louisa scanned the tray and sniffed the pleasant aroma wafting from it: _fetoydia_ , _rizógalo_ , and her favorite morning tea. Spiros had cooked her a perfect breakfast.

She looked at him with awe and adoration. “More than suitable. Thank you.” 

Spiros placed a hand on her cheek. “Anything to please you, Louisa.”

Louisa blushed deeply and felt herself grow warmer.

“Well,” she cleared her throat to dispel the electric current raging between them, “let’s tuck in, shall we?”

These mornings became part of their routine quickly. Breakfast wasn’t always in bed, but Spiros always had something prepared for her when she awoke, and Louisa came to know when breakfast was brought to her, they would be spending the better part of the morning burning off all the food they had just consumed.

She felt like a teenager again, full of lust and hormones, all her free time occupied by thoughts of him.

She had dearly and deeply loved her late husband, but their marriage bed had primarily been functional over pleasurable. Not that she’d never gotten anything out of it, but she certainly had not realized she could.... _that_ many times.

Spiros was very different. He was all fire and passion and verve all rolled into one. He worshipped her in the way a man who believes in God can; without blasphemy, but with the full knowledge of the purpose of man with woman and intimacies of the Song of Solomon — not to mention a willingness to pray for God’s forgiveness rather than ask His permission.

Yet her two great loves shared some of their finer qualities: complete loyalty to the ones they love; a sense of adventure and excitement; adoration for their children; and graciousness for what they had instead of surly over what they had not.

Having Spiros with her more frequently helped her immensely when she fretted over the well-being of her children in Bournemouth. She had phoned her relatives, and after a lot of “tsk”-ing and “tutt”-ing over her dilemma, they of course agreed to keep watch on the younger Durrells, and Louisa promised to visit the telephone shop as often as she could.

“Don’t worry yourself, dear,” Cousin Prue had told her. “We are responsible, settled adults. We will manage just fine keeping the children in our view.”

Louisa had grumbled internally at the intended barb, but thanked her relatives profusely and offered her condolences for Basil once again.

That was something else that nagged her mind; Basil was killed little more than a stone’s throw away for being English. How could they be sure the same wouldn’t happen to Louisa?

“Do not worry, _agapité mou_ ,” Spiros assured her, pressing a kiss to her hands. “If you are my wife, no harm will come to you. And if any persons unknown to me comes close to you, I will take care of them myself.”

He did good work putting Louisa’s mind at ease. She knew once they were formally married there was little anyone could do to harm her, especially since she had been working diligently with Spiros on bettering her Greek and learning how to act according to Greek custom.

“This is just for when we are in big spaces like the market.” Spiros flicked some of the ocean water toward her. “When we are at home, we can behave as we please.”

She gasped when the cool water made contact with her face while Spiros grinned at her wickedly. She gave him a sly look.

“So, if we were in a public space,” she said, scooting closer to him on the dock, “ _this_ ,” she emphasized as she placed her knees on either side of him, “would be wildly inappropriate?” She rocked slightly, bringing her body closer to his.

Spiros sucked in a breath, but met her sly eyes with mischief in his own. “Mmm, I would say so, yes. But _this_ ,” this time he emphasized as he put his hands around her waist and pulled her flush against him, “would be considered public indecency.”

Louisa fought back a shiver. Spiros brought his face closer to hers until he was only centimeters away; Louisa could feel her breaths becoming shallow.

He held his position there, the tension hanging thick and heavy.

Just before she could close the remaining distance between them, Spiros suddenly stood and swept her into his arms. She laughed delightedly as he carried her up to the villa.

They barely made it through the door before they were kissing feverishly, hands roaming and touching every perfect spot. Louisa moaned breathlessly as Spiros pushed harder against her, still loving the feeling of being pleasantly wedged between the sturdy wall and the even sturdier man.

Spiros had just started to unbotton Louisa’s blouse, intent on ravishing her from the neck down, when a sound caught his attention.

They both froze in place as they realized a car was pulling into the drive. They moved fast to make themselves presentable—Louisa straightening her hair and refastening her blouse and Spiros running a hand through his hair and straightening his clothes—before they walked out together to meet their visitor.

Luckily, it was Theo, someone they both knew and trusted.

“Hello Mrs. Durrell! Hello Spiros!” he called, shutting the car door and walking up to the house. “Are you alright, Mrs. Durrell? You look terribly flushed.”

Louisa’s cheeks grew even redder. She cleared her throat. “Ah, yes. Well...you see, we were just in the garden, moments before you came down the drive.”

Spiros nodded in agreement. “Yes, we were just inside when we heard your car. Louisa has very delicate English skin, no? It becomes red easily in the sun.”

Theo seemed to accept this answer, much to their relief. They both considered him a dear friend, but being nearly caught in the act on the brink of love-making was not something they wished to explain.

“Would you like to come in?” Louisa inquired, turning back to face the house. “I’ll put on some tea.”

The three of them sat in the kitchen chatting amicably while the tea boiled. Theo expressed his sadness over Gerry’s departure and the dissolution of the zoo, and Louisa couldn’t help but tear up thinking about how much others cared for her children and how much she missed them.

When the tea was poured, Theo’s demeanor changed from casual to serious. “Now that we are settled, I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

Louisa’s heart jumped into her throat; Spiros instinctively reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“What is it, Theo?” Louisa asked, trying very hard to keep the utter panic she felt out of her voice.

Theo grimaced and took a deep breath. “I’ve just been visiting with the legal representative for yours and Dimitra’s divorce, Spiros. And it seems that...” he paused, clearly not wanting to be the messenger for this unfortunate news. He took another deep breath. “It seems that the divorce cannot be finalized yet.”

Spiros let out a sigh of relief. “ _Maláka_! I thought it was terrible news! This is nothing to worry about. The courts in Corfu are known for their slow moving. When did they say it will be done?”

Louisa felt herself relax at his words. Surely if he wasn’t worried, she needn’t be either.

But Theo still looked grim.

Spiros’ face fell. “What are they saying, Theo? When will the divorce be final?”

Theo swallowed hard. “It won’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maláka is Greek slang used in a variety of contexts. Between friends, it can mean “dude” or “mate” but also, with affection, “idiot” or “jerk.” 
> 
> For a look at the Greek breakfast items, check out this link: https://www.tasteatlas.com/most-popular-breakfasts-in-greece
> 
> More to come soon - rest assured that this is not the end :)


	6. Hopeless Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little shorter, but I wanted to give some resolution to the last chapter :)

_So long, my luckless romance  
_ _My back is turned on you  
_ _Should've known you'd bring me heartache_ _Almost lovers always do_

 _—_ a fine frenzy _, almost lover_

* * *

The world was silent.

Louisa knew she should be able to hear the ocean, but the only sound she could make out was the ringing in her ears.

Her thoughts were swimming, or maybe drowning; she could not get a solid hold on any of them before slipping under into their thrashing waves.

She attempted to focus her gaze on Spiros. Her vision was somewhat blurred at the edges, but he seemed to be just as frozen as her.

Not even Theo moved a muscle. He knew the news would be a great shock and painful for them, so he had resolved to only speak further if prompted; he did not want to overwhelm his friends.

Time eluded them all, unsure if they maintained their statuesque positions for five minutes or 20. Finally, Spiros shook himself out of his daze and crashed back to reality.

“Why?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper. It was all he could manage; he felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think.

Theo rubbed his hands over his face. “It’s complicated.”

“Why?” Spiros repeated imploringly.

Louisa remained still, her brain barely processing the situation.

Theo looked at the couple with kind eyes. “Mostly it is the war, I am sorry to say. If the Metropolitanate was not so occupied with pressing wartime matters, I am certain it would move more quickly, as is usual.”

“The Metropolitanate?” Louisa spoke quietly.

Spiros put his face in his hands, but said nothing. Theo continued, taking pity on his poor friend. “If a couple pursuing a divorce was married in a religious ceremony — as Spiros and Dimitra were, and as most Greeks are — then essentially a representative of the church must sign a certificate validating the dissolution of the religious marriage.

“This is taken together to the courts along with the other documents — in this case a mutual consent divorce — and verified by the notary. After the 10 day waiting period, the divorce is considered final.”

Theo paused, not wanting to upset Louisa and Spiros further with the rest of his information. When neither of them spoke, he swallowed and pressed on. “As I said, due to wartime commitments and other pressing matters within the church, divorce certificates are on hold for the time being. They simply won’t accept them. But...” he hesitated again.

Spiros looked up. “But...?”

Theo sighed. “But that’s not all. If...if the two of you are seen _together_ publicly, it could be deemed...I apologize, it pains me to say this, but it could be deemed adultery by the courts or the church.”

Louisa looked horrified while Spiros looked ready to fight. Theo apologized again. “I do not like being the one to repeat this to you. I am very sorry, my friends. I do not agree with this perception at all. But if Spiros is viewed as an adulterer, that changes the divorce from mutual consent to a contested divorce, regardless of the original contract.”

Spiros grimaced and buried his head in his hands once more.

“Forgive me,” Louisa said meekly, “As I’m not familiar with this kind of Greek law, given how dire the circumstances already are, what is the difference between mutual and contested divorce?”

“Mutual consent divorce is, as you say, quick and easy.” Spiros’ muffled voice came from under his hands. “10-12 days pass and the divorce is final. Contested divorce takes years.”

Theo cleared his throat uncomfortably. “And in this instance, it would be the standard three years...starting when the war is over and the Metropolis of the Orthodox removes their hold on divorce certificates.”

Louisa’s mouth was cotton dry. “So...we can’t be married. Not until the divorce is final, which could be—“

“Three years from now or 10 years from now.” Spiros rose from his place at the table. “ _Gamóto_!”

He hadn’t raised his voice, but Louisa rarely heard him swear this way. Spiros noticed the overwhelmed expression she wore and was immediately at her side.

He knelt on the floor and took her hands in his. “I am sorry, _agápi mou_. _Iné dikó mu láthos_ — it is my fault. I gave you this promise and I cannot keep it.”

Louisa could see the moisture building in his eyes, not far behind her own tears that were spilling down her cheeks.

He placed a delicate kiss on her knuckles. “ _Ilikriná signómi_. I am sorry, Louisa. _Hília signómi_. I can give a thousand apologies and then a thousand more for you, _agápi mou_. But it still would not be enough. _S’agapó_.”

His last words were so quiet Louisa barely heard them; she almost wished she hadn’t.

When they broke away from one another, they realized Theo had slipped out. Grateful to be alone in their misery, Spiros reclaimed his seat and beckoned Louisa to join him. She slowly crossed over to him and crawled onto his lap. He held her as she wept, the same way he had many times before. Only this time, her tears weren’t the only ones being shed. They stayed wrapped together for quite some time, grieving the loss of their almost once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gamóto basically means “fuck” in Greek — hopefully the others made sense with loose translations within the dialogue!


	7. The Dreams You Left Behind

_I wish that I could wake up with amnesia  
_ _And forget about the stupid little things  
_ _Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you  
_ _And the memories I never can escape  
_ _'Cause I'm not fine at all_

\- 5 Seconds of Summer, _Amnesia_

* * *

Once they collected themselves, Louisa forced herself to ask the question.

“What will we do?”

Spiros placed a hand on her cheek then kissed her forehead.

“Whatever it is, you will be safe. We still have some time to decide what plan we can make.”

“And in the meantime?” Louisa asked, dreading his answer.

He grimaced and looked at her with sad eyes. “I think it is best if I sleep in the spare room as I did before, when Dimitria and I first separated. We have not had many days together, you and I, so it will be as if nothing has changed. Easy to explain to anyone asking questions.”

Louisa forced a smile and nodded mutely. She knew this was a sensible solution, but it deepened the cracks in a heart she thought was starting to heal, not to mention the ache of her wanting that she had kept under lock and key for so long.

They fell into a routine of sorts similar to the last time he occupied the villa, only this was infinitely more uncomfortable. Louisa would not have believed she could have felt any more heartsick or longing back then, but she was acutely aware of its increase now.

It did not take long for her to channel her distress into other avenues; she found herself becoming short with Spiros and avoiding interactions as much as she could without being incredibly obvious.

However, when it came to Louisa, Spiros was much more intuitive than she realized. In turn, he became frustrated by her ill temper and avoidance. Didn’t she understand how torturous this was for him as well? He thought she did, but suddenly he wasn’t so sure.

Finally, he could bear it no longer.

“Why are you angry with me?” he asked one morning as he entered the kitchen earlier than usual. He caught her off guard intentionally, knowing if he did not, she could easily find an excuse to leave.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she replied primly, not looking up from the kettle on the stove.

He struggled to keep his emotions in check with her dismissive answer. “You do know. You are angry and you will not be in the same room with me for more than a brief _kaliméra_.”

Louisa still did not look up. “Just trying to stay busy, I suppose.”

He could not take this. “Louisa—“

At this, her head snapped up, her lips in a right line. “Louisa? I see.”

“Why does this upset you? I want to understand.”

She shook her head. “What could possibly be upsetting to me? Certainly not utter terror for what my future holds. Nor constant worry for my children. It couldn’t be living with the man I—” She stopped abruptly and sighed, moving over to sit at the table, returning her gaze downward. But Spiros still managed to see a tear sliding down her cheek.

“I’m terribly sorry, Spiros,” she said quietly. “I _have_ been awful. But everything is...it’s just so much. It was already bad enough, but once I thought I had your protection...”

He was at her side in an instant, kneeling on the floor beside her. He took her hand in his and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. “You _do_ have my protection. Do not be sorry, _agapí mou_. I should have known you were feeling this way.”

Louisa smiled faintly. “For goodness sake, for all your skills and positive qualities, Spiros, you’re not a mind reader. I should have said something to you. But I didn’t...” she hesitated.

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “You are not a bother to me, Louisa. I want what I have always wanted: to help you and to make you happy.” He placed a finger under her chin and brought her eyes to meet his. “ _S’agapo_ , I love you, Louisa.”

He had been fully prepared for an onslaught of tears, but Louisa only let out a small sob and threw her arms around him.

He held her there for quite some time, formulating a plan to make things easier.

“I think...we must go,” he told her as she pulled away. “I do not wish to leave you, but I do not wish to cause you pain. You will come to stay with my cousin Kostas. He lives far enough away that no one will come bothering him, but close enough for me to see you.”

“But where will you go?”

“I will stay here. I will take care of this house for you. For us, _agapīte mou_. Then I can have more reasons to be here. My wife asked me to leave. So I came to stay in the abandoned villa where the English family lived.”

“But what if the military do visit Kostas and find me?”

Spiros frowned. “It is not the best way, but...Kostas knows how to...fake documents. He could make us a marriage certificate. His own documents would be proof he is my relative, and you are staying with him while I do my duty in town.”

It was a sound plan, but Louisa hated the idea of her marriage to Spiros being false. But she did already have the ring...

“Won’t that cause trouble for the divorce? Remember what Theo said about the contention.”

“I know, _agapíte mou_. But do not worry. So long as we are not in public or under the eye of church officials, we will be safe. The military and the local police are not known for their devotion to the church. They are mostly, I think, put-off by the authority the church has in legal matters. They believe they should have absolute power.”

Louisa scoffed. “That’s barbaric and reeks of corruption.”

Spiros cracked a smile. “Yes, that is a good description.”

With their plans made, they began to set them into motion. Louisa re-packed the little she had and took another final look around the villa. It now held a few more precious memories, and she hoped to return to it one day.

The drive to Kostas’s home near Kokkíni was not long, and, like most drives on the island, it was stunningly beautiful. The town proper was nestled between hills that were lush with forests and farmlands.

Kostas’s olive grove and attached farm were a sight to behold. Louisa thought Hugh’s groves had been quite something, but they paled in comparison to this; it was like a private paradise.

Spiros pulled up to the house and moved to open her car door. “Shall we go inside?”

Louisa fit her hand into the crook of his arm. “We shall.”


End file.
